UCMAS is an international mental arithmetic program designed to advance cognitive skills in children aged 4 to 14. Founded in 1993, it is now implemented in over 90 countries worldwide and reached Georgia in 2019. What sets UCMAS apart is its unique methodology, which involves using an abacus and a special technique that employs six fingers on the abacus. This approach trains children’s mental arithmetic skills, significantly improving their concentration, memory, and overall mental coordination.
This year, approximately 1,500 students actively practiced UCMAS across Georgia. For the first-ever national championship, 120 top-performing students from cities like Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, and Telavi were selected to compete. The competition involved solving 100 mental arithmetic problems in just 8 minutes. Events like this not only challenge students but also teach resilience and help them develop goal-setting skills, focusing on long-term success and step-by-step achievement. These life skills extend beyond the classroom and prepare children for the future.
UCMAS is built around a unique methodology that enhances arithmetic skills while developing crucial cognitive abilities. Research from prominent institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and the University of California, San Diego, supports the program’s effectiveness in enhancing concentration, memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, events like the International Grading Exam (IGE) and national and international competitions increase self-confidence and teach students to set and systematically achieve goals. Since its launch in Georgia in 2019, over 5,000 students have participated in the UCMAS program.
The program consists of 10 levels, which typically take around four years to complete. This year, we proudly celebrate our first group of graduates who have successfully completed the entire program, having developed essential life skills along the way.
“We believe STEM education is key to innovation, and to align with this vision, we are collaborating with partners from the UK and the USA to introduce new programs related to artificial intelligence (AI), codebreaking, and video gaming. These exciting projects will be developed in exclusive partnerships with Bletchley Park from the UK, Findel UK, and DigiPen USA, offering students in Georgia the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technologies,” the UCMAS team stated in the interview.
